Snap-hook.



No. 824,179. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906.

J. J. HAYES.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLIGATION FILED 0OT.3, 1905.

flZ/Zeassaa 7 [2057260 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. HAYES, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

SNAP-HOOK.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1906.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J, HAYES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Snap-Hook, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a snap-hook which is so constructed that the tongue when closed is; locked against accidental opening.

The object of theinvention is to provide a very simple and durable article of this nature, having a tongue which when closed is securely locked against accidental opening, but which is easy to unlock and open by a natural movement of the thumb. Y

The snap-hook which is illustrated as embodying the invention has a shouldered tongue which is thrust forwardly by a spring and is thrust outwardly by a spring, so that when it is forward the shoulder on the tongue will engage with the edge of the body and prevent the tongue from moving backwardly until by pressure upon the button it is forced inwardly far enough to release the lockingshoulder from the edge of the body.

The figure of the drawing shows a side view of the snap-hook with a portion'cut in central section in order to expose the interior construction.

The body 1 of the hook is formed to the desired shape of any suitable metal. The body has the ordinary strapn or rope eye 2 at one end and the curved ger or hook 3 at the other end. The tongue l is movable in a longitudinal recess in the body and is thrust forwardly by a spiral spring 5 and outwardly by a spiral spring 6. The forward end of the tongue is preferably somewhat tapered and provided with a locking-shoulder 7, which is adapted to engage with the forward edge 8 of the ody offthe hook. Abutton 9 is connected with the tongue by ashank 10, which extends through a slot 11, formed in the body. The tongue is normally pushed forward by the spring 5 and at the same time is pushed outward by the spring 6. When it is pushed forwardly and. outwardly by these springs, the shoulder 7 engages the front edge 8 of the body, and when in this condition the tongue cannot be drawn backward into the body. When pressure is applied to the button by the thumb in a natural way inwardly and;

backwardly, the tongue is pressed inwardly, compressing the spring 6 and releasing the locking parts and then drawn backwardly, compressing the spring5. When the pressure is removed, the springs force the tongue forwardly and outwardly, so as to close and lock thetongue. With this construction the body is unlocked and drawn back by the simple action of the thumb of the o erative, and yet the bolt cannot be accidenta ly unlocked.

- The invention claimed is A snap-hook having a body with an eye at one end and a hook at the other end, a tongue movable longitudinally and transversely in the body, a spring thrusting the tongue forwardly, a s ring thrusting the tongue outwardly, sai tongue having a locking-shoulder that engages the front edge of the body when the tongue is forward, and a button by means of whichthe tongue may be pressed nwardly and drawn backwardly, substantially as specified.

JOHN J. HAYES.

Witnesses H. R. WILLIAMS, E. M. LOWE. 

